From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Mel Berns (September 27, 1897 - May 7, 1977) was an American make-up artist. He was the Head of Makeup at RKO Pictures for more than twenty years. Berns began his career in the entertainment industry while working as an agent at the William Morris Agency. Later he became the Head of Makeup at RKO Pictures for more than twenty years, creating the makeup for Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers and Katharine Hepburn's screentest. He was a lifelong friend of Ginger Rogers, who makes a